Fastener-inserting machine



' Aug. 17,1926. 1,596,265

M. G. WESTON' y FASTENER INSERTING MACHINE Filed oct. so.I 192 4 sheets-sheet 1 Jflllll Auge I v M. G. WESTON FASTENER INSERTIIICI MACHINE Filed Oct. 50I 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Illll Aug. 17 1926.

M. G. WESTON FASTENR INSERTING MACHINE FiledfOGt. 30J 1925v 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 5d l- 44' MIM il iim l" M4 zo Z4 il] i "E Y 16s el I Y fg v i tz Y. 4Z4 Y J4 1 oo mi f5 Il@ ZZZ zza' Z4 'l *Y Y a? 150 l Tl 76 Y E fbi; u!

143 f4 w w ummm-1mm 1i 174' l 1%' a 1 T ll-f Patented Aug. 17, 1926.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MAURICE G. WESTON, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO TUBULAR RIVET AND STUD COMPANY, 0F BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, `A CORPORATION OF MASSACHU- SETTS.

FASTENER-INSERTING MACHINE.

Application filed October 30, 1925. Serial No. 65,870.

vention is herein disclosed as embodied inav machine for inserting lacing-'hooks in shoeuppers, the general organization of Which is similar to that illustrated in United States Letters Patent No. 811,839, granted Febru- V ary 6, 1906, on application of P. R. Glass,

but it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to machines of the type herein disclosed.

It has been proposed to provide certain hook-inserting machines with mechanism for feeding a `strip of `reinforcingmaterial to strip-severing means With steps shorter than those imparted to the Work to be reinforced, the purpose being to save reinforcing material in cases Where the distance between successive hoolrs is greater than the length of reinforcing material necessary to insure adequate anchorage for the hooks, but in the machines proposed for this purpose the organization is encumbered and complicatedv by an additional train of mechanism for feeding the strip of reinforcing material.

Accordingly, an object of this invention is to provide an improved organization in which a strip may be fed step by step Without encumbering the machine with an additional train of mechanism and in Which the feeding steps imparted tothe strip may be shorter than those imparted to the Work to avoid Wasting the reinforcing material When the length of the Work-feeding steps is greater than the length of reinforcing material necessary to insure adequate anchorage for the fasteners. Consequently, a feature of the invention consists in` an improved organization comprising Work-feeding mechanism and means arranged to impart to a reinforcing strip feeding steps shorter than those imparted to the Work and arranged to receive its operative motions from the train ef mechanism that feeds the Worin Another object of the invention is to provide improved means by Which the length of the steps imparted to the strip may be readily regulated, to the end that in every case the individual sections of reinforcing material mayhave the necessary or desired standard length irrespective of the length of the feeding steps imparted to the Work. This object `is accomplished by a novel feature comprising an adjustable connection through which operating motion is transmitted from the Work-feeding means to the strip-feeding means, and by which the length of feeding motion imparted to the strip may be regulated and maintained constant irrespective of .changes in the length of the feeding steps imparted tothe Work.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a fastenerinserting machine embodying the invention in a preferred form for reinforcing the anchorage of lacing-hooks as applied to shoeuppers; Y. l

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the elements grouped about the fastener-inserting locality;

Fig. 8 is a top plan vievv, partly in section', of the presser-foot and elements of the stripfeeding and severing means carried thereby;

' Fig. i is a. perspective view of certain elements included in Fig. 3 but detached from each other to illustrate them individually;

Fig. 5 is a front elevation, partly in section, of the elements grouped about the fastener-inserting locality, the movable parts being shown in their initial positions;

Figs. 6, 7, 8 and 9 are views similar to Fig. 5 but showing successive stages in a cycle of operations;

Fig. 10 is a perspective view, partly in section, of a part of the train of regulatable Work-feeding mechanism; this figure also includes a part of the train of mechanism for imparting punching motion to t-he tool that punches and feeds the Work;

Fig. 11 is a front elevation of a portion of the cam-operated member shown at the leftof Fig. 10; and

Figs. 12 and 18 illustrate tivo typical eX- amples of Work, andnincltde portions of two slice uppers to which lacing-hooks and sev ered sections of a strip of reinforcing material have been applied. In Fig. 18 the lacing-hooks are spaced farther apart than in Fig. 12, but the sections of reintorcing material are of the saine dimensions.

As hereinbetore stated, the general organization of the fastener-inserting machine, 'with the ezrc'e'p'tio'r'i of the strip-feeding means and the strip-severing means, 'is similar to the disclosure in said LettersPatent No. 811,889. For this reason the description ol the machine will :be curtailed except so far as it may be necessary to describe -certain vrelations to lfurnishing a complete disclosure ot the fpresent invention.

The frame l0 of the machine is provided with suitable bearings Ylor a shaft 12 on which the several cams are 'li-ied to operate the various mechanisms. Lacing-fbooks are supplied to a raceway 14 by a suitable hopper (not shown) and are automatically separated -at the lower end ot said raceway and released one by one so that they `may slide down an extension 16 (see Fig. 2) to the point of delivery. Each hook is transferred from the raceway extension 16 to hooksust-aining plate 18 by a feeding member 2O (Fig. rEhe hook-sustaining plate 18 is carried by va vertically `movable plunger 22 to insert the barrel ola the hook `upwardly through the work 24and through the sections of reinforcing material as hereinafter explained.

The work is punched and ted with a step- Yby-step motion, and the inserted barrels of the hooks are clenched by a clenching tool 25having a punching portion 28. This tool is fixed to the lower end of a vertically movable plunger 8G and receives its vertical motions `from a cam 82 (Fig. 10) through a train of mechanism comprising a lever 84, gear segments 86, 88, a `rock-'shalt 40, and an arm (not shown) lined to the rock-shaft and lengaging a stud projecting from the plunger 80. The plunger 8() is `arrar'iged to slide in bearings 42 formed in a horizontally Vmovable work-feeding carriage 44. Bosses 'formed on the upper fpart of this'carriafe are arranged to slide on a stationary guile rod 46 while guide rod 48 fixed to lie carriage slides in bearings 50 for-ined in e frame 10. A four-way motion is imparted to the clenching tool 26` by compounding the vertical motions of the plunger 30 and the horizontal motions ot the carriage 44. The mechanism for reciprocating the carriage 44 comprises a cam 52 (Fig. l0), a plunger 54 and a bell-crank comprising an arm .58, a hub or sleeve 58 and an arm 60. The latter arm is formed to straddle an anti-'friction block 82 (Fig. 1) carried b v a .pin or stud ai'lixed to the carriage 44. rl`he arm 5G of thc bell-crank is formed with a segmental slot (i4-iu which a block is arranged to form operative connection with the plunger 54, the construction being such as to vary the amplitude of oscillatory motion iniparted to the bell-crank by shitting the operating connection toward and from the outer end ot the slot 64. For this purpose an adjusting link 68 is pivotally connected to the plunger 54 and 'to a lever 70. A gear 'segment 72 formed on the lever 70 is 'engaged by a gear segment 74 formed on `a manually movable lever 76, commonly termed a space regulator. A

A stationary work-supportv 78 is aliizred to the trame k10 and is formed with a recess to receive a punch-block 8O (Fig. G), the upper surfaces 'of the work-'support and punch- 'block being flush.

The work is periodically clamped uponV the work-support and released by a presserfoot 82 (Fig. 1) having a vertical stem 84 arranged to slide in a 'bearing 86 `in the trame 10. A vertical plunger 88'is arranged to slide `in bearings v90 in the traine 10 and its upper end is connected to the presser-toot stem 84 s'o that a compression spring 92 normally pressing the yplu-nger 88 downwardly will 'cause the presser-toot Eto clamp the work. rlhe upper end of the spring 92 is seated against a portion of the frame-10 while the lower end is seated against a Alinger v94 alixed to the plunger. The presser-toot is periodically lil-ted by a cam vr96 through the medium of a bell-crank com prising anarrn 98, a. rook-shalt 100 and an arm V102. A :projection 104 carried by the `arrn 102 `lifts the linger 94 against the 'pressure of the spring 92. The presser-toot may also be vlifted by a treadle (not shown) to permit insertion and yremoval ot an article of work. For this purpose a lever 106 is pivotally connected to the iran/1e `1() and is provided 4with an varrn arranged to engage the lower end of the plunger 88 and with an arm having yconnection with a treadle rod 1108.

rllhe shaft `12 is provided Vwith suitable drivin-g yand stopping mechanism (not shown) which causes the parts to stop in the initial positions shown by Figs. l, 2 and 5. A cycle of operations of the lparts hereinbeitore described is as follows: Assuming that an article of work 24, such asa vshoe upper, has been placed on the worksupport and clamped by 'the presser-toot 82, as shown in Fig. 5, the vtirst motion following Athe tripping of the driving clutch is a downward motion Iot the plunger 8O tocause zthe punch 28 to punch the work, as shown by Fig. 6. At this moment. a lacing-hook 110 is supported by the hook-sustaining plate 18, having been transferred to said plate during the `preceding cycle. The presser-foot is immediately elevated t'o the vposition shown by Fig. 7, when vthe punch has completed its passage through the work,

and the pressure of the punch on the 'punchblock is relieved without withdrawing the punch from the work. The yfeed-carriage 44 now moves from right to left to shift the tool 26 into register with the lacing-hook which is now rising (see 'Fig 8). The presser-foot returns to its clamping position at this stage and the tool 26 remains stationary while the lower plunger 22 inserts the barrel of the lacing-hook through the work and causes it to be clenched by the tool 26. Next, the hook-engaging tools are slightly separated to relieve the clenching pressure and the hook-sustaining plate 18 is thereupon retracted horizontally to clear the throat of the clenched hook.4 The upper and lower plungers are next retracted from each other, the hook-sustaining plate 18 returning to its hook-receiving position (Fig. 2) and the tool 26 returning` to its initial position (Fig.

The illustrated machine is provided with novel automatic means for supplying individual sections 112 of reinforcing material (Figs. 12 and 13) to strengthen the anchorage of the fasteners 110. The reinforcing Vmaterial from which 'the sections 112 are severed is supplied' in the form of a strip 114 and stored in a magazine 116 in which it is coiled. The leading end of the strip 114 is threaded through eyes 118 formed in a take-up member 119 mounted to oscillate on a pivot 120. This member is also provided J-with a leaf spring 122 which c'o-operates with the lower eye 118 to clamp the strip with a pressure not so great as to prevent the strip from being readily drawn ahead relatively thereto when subjected to moderate tension. As shown by Fig. 5,V the strip extends from the lower eye 118 to the left and passes through a channel 124 formed in a block 126 (see also Fig. 4). The leading end of the strip projects a( short distance beyond the block 126 and underlies the punch 28.

As shown by Figs. 12 and 13, the sections 112 of reinforcing material are cut to a length shorter than the distance between the fasteners 110. Furthermore, in Fig. 13 the distance between the fasteners is greater than the corresponding distance in Fig. 12, but in both figures ythe sections of reinforcing material have the same length. It has been found in practice that a section of reinforcing material slightly more than one half inch square is large enough to reinforce the anchorage of an ordinary lacing-hook as vused in a shoe-upper, provided the lacinghook is located approximately at the center of the reinforcing piece. Consequently, when the lacing-hooks are spaced relatively far apart a considerable saving of reinforcing material may be effected by cutting the strip 114 into sections 112 'of the size above specified and spacing said sections as shown in Figs. 12 and 13 instead of reinforcing the yentire series of lacing-hooks with one continuous strip of reinforcing material. Furthermore, by severing the reinforcing material into individual sections the upper or other article 24 of work is maintained in a more flexible 'condition than if the reinforcing material were continuous throughout the series of fasteners` Accordingly, one of the features of the present invention consists in a new and improved organization of means, now about to be described, whereby a strip of reinforcing material may be automatically fed and severed'into sections, and whereby the severedsections may be applied as shown in Figs. 12 and 13.

Referring to Fig. 4, the block 126 is formed with dovetail flanges 128 which are arranged to slide in grooves 130 formed in the presser-foot 82, said flanges and grooves being parallel to the direction in which theV work is fed. This sliding connection permits the block r126 to be reciprocated relatively `to vthe presser-foot by the feed-carriage 44 to which the blockis connected as hereinafter explained. Two sharp-pointed feeding spurs 132 (Fig. 5) are carried by a holder 134 Vaiiixed to the punchV plunger 30. This holder is adjustable up and down relatively to the plunger 30 and is ysecured to the latter by a set-screw 136. Referring again to Fig. 4, the sliding block 126 i's formed with two. vertical holes 138 through which the spurs A132 pass to pierce the strip, as shown in Figs. 7 and 8. Thus,when the feed-carriage 44 moves from right to left to feed the work fromv the position shownl by Fig. 7 to that shown by- Fig. 8, the spurs 132, having pierced the4 strip, advance the leading end of the latter a distance equal tothe length of the feeding step imparted to the upper, but, as will be subsequently explained, a relatively short backward movement may be imparted to said leading vend to savea considerable amount of reinforcing material that would otherwise be wasted. The backward movement of the strip 114 is effected by oscillation of the'take-up member 119 about its pivot 120. The lower end of the member 119 is normally drawn toward the left by a tension spring 140 and its movement in that direction is arrested by a stop 142 (Fig. 2) arranged to abut against the lower edge of a bracket 144. This bracket is afxed to the presser-foot 82 and provides a 120 support for the` pivot 120. The eective movement of the member 119 is transmitted from the feedV carriage 44 through connections including a split collar 146 tightly clamped to the carriage, a vertical pin 148 extending through said collar, a member 150 (Fig. 4) superposed on the sliding block 126, means connecting the members 150 and 126, and a two-part adjustable link affixed tothe block 126 and engaging a screw 152 sin secured in the member 119. The said adjustable link comprises a member 154 and a member 156 which are adjustably clamped to each other by two screws 158 which eX- tend through a slot 166 in the member 156. Provision is also made for adjusting the position of this link relatively to the block 126, for which purpose the member 154 is provided with series of holes 162 any one of which may be used to receive a pivot 164 which is screwed into the block. Relatively coarse adjustments oil the link are afforded by the holes 162 while liner adjustments are ai'iorded the slot 160 and the clamping screws 156. i 1lost-motion connection between the link and the oscillatory member 119 is aiiorded by a slot 166 through which the connecting screw 152 extends.

Assuming that lthe adjustable link 154, 1.56 has been adjusted to eliiect a backward movement oi thev strip 114, such movement occurs during the latter stages ot the return movement ot the feed-carriage 44 to its initial position, that is. during its movement from left to right. This movement of the Vfeed-carriage causes the left-hand end of the slot- 166 to abut against the screw 152 so that any further movement ot the link to the right will swing` the member 119 and therelby move the strip backward. This movement of the take-up member 119 represents the space between two adjacent reinforcing sections 112. As the stroke of the feed-carriage 44 is increased, a corresponding increase in the take-up movement of the member 11.9 follows incidentally thereto. Likewise, the take-up movement is decreased by a decrease in the stroke ot the feed-carriage so that the length of the reinforcing seotions 112 is maintained at one standard and is unaffected by changes in the length of the feeding steps imparted to the work 24. The only adjustment that aiiects the length of the sections 112 is the individual adjustment of the link 154, 156.

1When the parts are in their initial positions, as shown by Figs. 1, 2 and 5, the oscillatory take-up member 119 is tilted by the link 154, 156 so that the stop member 142 is separated from the lower edge of the supporting bracket 144. Consequently, when the feed-carriage 44 moves from right to lei't to feed the work 24 it carries with it the two-part link 154, 156 and thereby permits the spring to swing the take-up member 119 to the lett until said member is arrested by engage-ment of its stop member 142 with the lower edge of the bracket 144. As the feed-carriage continues to move to the left thereafter, the strip-feeding spurs 132 draw the strip ahead relatively to the takeup. During the first stages oi the return movement ot the feed-carriage 44 to its initial position,` the t; -updevice still aiainpnig the strip, ho fue latter si. en-

ary, the feeding spurs 132 at this time being disengaged romthe strip. But during the latter stages, the lost motion inthe slot 166 having been taken up, the link' 154, 156 swings the take-up 119 to the right to impart a baclrward movement to the leading end of the strip.

rlfhe strip severed in each cycle oi operations 'by cooperative cutters 16S and 176 organized substantially as disclosed in ilakeiield Patent 1,154,558 granted September 21, 1915. risshown best by iigs. 2 and S tie cutter 1276 is formed with a slot through which the strip 1 1 is ted. This t iitted to the sliding biock 126 and riias'ened in any desired manner. The cutters are arranged to sever the strip with a shearing action (see Figs. 6 and The cutter 166 is fastened to the hold cws l112. f screw 174 retains legi. spring 116 in position to bear against the ri glit-hand end of the block 126 to maintain the cutter 170 against the cutter 168 with pressure siniicient to insure a'clean cut.

ThisV spring is seated vagainst a lip 17SV termed on the member l and having-a hole 'tl'nough which the retaining screw 1?4 er:-

osely.

'relative horizontal movement by which the iorce ci the yspring 1? 6 may be applied to maint-ain the aforesaid pressure ot' theV cutter against the cutter 168- The cutters are preferably organized `to sever the strip 114 not when the cutter 168 moves downwardly but when the 'cutter 170 moves upwardly. rEhe punching movement of the plunger 80 carries the cutting edge ot the cutter 168 nearly but not quite to the strip 114-which initially projects to the lett from the cutter 170 a distance equal to the net feeding lmovement of the strip (see Fig. 5). Thus. when the punch descends to the position shown by Fig. 6, it passes through the projecting portion or" the material incidentally to punching a hole in the article 24, and the pointl at which it passes through the reinforcing material is substantially in the center of the portion that will subsequently be severed. The upward movement of the presser-toot by which the work is released pgior to the feeding motion, raises the cutter 17 first suliiciently to sever that portion oi the strip that has previously been measured ice stepby step, means operated by said mecha-i nism to impart to a strip of reinforcing material, for each cycle of operations, a net feeding movement shorter than that imparted to the article of work, mechanism ""arranged to'sever such strip into sections commensurate with the net feeding movement thereof, and mechanism arranged to insert fasteners into the article of work and into said sections respectively.

2. In a fastener-inserting machine, workfeeding mechanism including a reciprocatory feed-carriage, means'operated by said carriage for imparting to a stripV of reinforcing material for each cycle of operations a net feeding movement shorter than the strokeof said carriage, mechanism arranged to sever such strip into sections com mensurate with said net feeding movement, and mechanism arranged to insert fasteners into the work andinto such sections respectively.

3. In a fastener-inserting machine, mecha nis-m arranged to feed an article of work and the leading end lof a strip of reinforcing material with steps of equal length and to impart a relatively short backward step to said leading end in each cycle of operations so that the net feeding steps of the strip will be shorter than the feeding steps of the article of work, means arranged to sever said strip into sections commensurate with said net feeding steps, and mechanism ar-v ranged 'to insert fasteners into said article and into said sections respectively.

4L. In a fastener-inserting machine, regulatable mechanism arranged to feed an article of work and the leading end of a strip of reinforcing material with steps of equal but variable length and to impart a relatively short backward step of variable length to said leading end in each cycle of operations to produce net feeding -movements of the strip shorter than the feeding steps of the article of work, means arranged to sever said strip into sections commensurate with said net feeding steps, and mechanism arranged to insert fasteners into said article and into said sections respectively.

5. In a fasteneninserting machine, regulatable mechanism for feeding the work step by step with steps of variable length, means operated by said mechanism for imparting to the leading end of a strip of reinforcing material feeding steps of the same length as those imparted to the work and relatively short backward steps to said leading end so that the net feeding movement of the strip in each cycle of operations will be of a standard length irrespective of the length of the feeding steps imparted to the work,

means arranged to sever said strip into sec-V tions, and mechanism arranged to insert fasteners into the work and into said sections respectively. l

6. In a fastener-inserting machine, workfeeding mechanism including a lreciprocatory feed-carriage by which the work is fed step by step, means operated'by said carriage to impart feeding steps to a strip of reinforcing Vmaterial and relatively short backward steps to the leading end of said strip so that the net feeding movement of the strip in each cycle of operations will be.

shorter than the feeding steps imparted to the work, means arranged to sever said strip into sections, and mechanism arranged to in'- sert fasteners into the work and into said sections respectively.

7. In 'a fastener-inserting machine, workfeeding mechanism including a reciprocatory feed-carriage'by which the work is fed step by step, means operated by said carriage to impart to a strip of reinforcing ma'- terial feeding steps of the saine length as those imparted toY the work, 'regulatable means operated by said carriage to impart backward steps of variable length to the leading end of said strip, means arranged to sever said strip into sections, and mechanism arranged to insert Vfasteners into the work and into said sections respectively.

8. In a fasteneieinserting machine, work-v feeding mechanism including a reciprocatory feed-carriage, means operated by said carriage to move the leading end of a strip of reinforcing material lengthwise different distances in Iopposite directions in each cycle of operations to give the strip a net feeding movement shorter than the feeding stroke of said carriage, said means including an adjustable element to regulate the length of the net feeding movement of said strip,

- means arranged to sever said strip into sec- 9. In a fastener-inserting machine, regu-l latable work-feeding mechanism including a reciprocatory feed-carriage the stroke of which is variable in length, means operated by said carriage to move the leading end of a strip of reinforcing material lengthwise different distances in opposite directions in each cycle of operations to 'give the'strip a net feeding movement shorter than the stroke of said carriage, said means having provision for varying the length of said net feeding movement independently of the length of feeding movement imparted to the work, means arranged to sever said strip into sections, and mechanism arranged to insert fasteners into the work andinto said sections respectively.

l0. In a fastener-inserting machine, workfeeding mechanism including a r-eciprocatory llO feed-carriage, means operated by said car.- riage to reciprocate the leading end of a strip of reinforcing material lengthwise, said m-eans including a lost-motion C0nnec tion to produce a differential between movement of the strip in one direction and movement thereof in the opposite direction S0 that the strip will receive a net feeding movement, in each cycle of operations, shorter than the feeding movement imparted to the Work, means arranged to sever said strip into, sections, and mechanism arranged to insert fasteners into the Work and into said sections respectively,

l1. lln a fastener-inserting machine, mech-V anism arranged to feed. the Work s ,tep by step, means arranged to feed a, strip of reinforcing material, a take-up. arranged to engage said strip, means arranged to, operate said take-.up` to mov-e the leading end of said strip backward in each cyclel of operations so that. the net feeding move-ment of said "reading end Will be shorter than the feeding movement of the Work, means, ar-.

ranged to sever said strip, intoy section-aand mechanism arranged to. insert; fasteners into he Work and into said. sectionsl respectively.`

l2. In a fastener-.inserting machine, niecli-V anismarranged to. feed the Work step byy step., adevice arranged toclamp, a strip efv reinforcing material.,l means arranged to feed said strip relatively to said clam-ping: device, means arranged to move said clamping de.

vice tol impart a backward movement 'CQ said strip in each cycle ofl operations, means arranged to sever said strip into sections, and mechanism arranged to insert fasteners into the Work and into said sections respectively.

13. In a fastener-inserting` machine, reciprocatory mechanism arranged to feed an article of Work and the leading end of a Strip of reinforcing material with steps of equal length, a strip-clamping device relatively to which said strip is fed by said regulatable means actuated by said carriage for imparting a backward step of variable length to said leading Vend in each cycle ofl operations to. make the net feeding steps of said strip shorter than the feeding steps of said article, means arranged to sever said strip into sections, and mechanism arranged to insert fasteners intol the Work and into said sections respectively.

In testimony whereof I have signedmy name te this specication.

Mannion e. ivnsron. 

